|
 |
Market
Report
Union Square, New York, NY
Monday, October 24, 2005 |
|
|
The Market:
Union Square Greenmarket
E. 17th Street and Broadway
New York, NY
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(212) 788-7476
Marketgoer:
Denise Matychowiak,
chef and author of A
Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living: A Loving Look at the Lighter
Side of the Catholic Faith with Recipes for Feasts and Fun
Fall is
definitely in the air today, but in New York, we
are still being blessed with the warmth of the sun and clear skies.
Indeed, while we still have access to strawberries and tomatoes, the
pumpkins and root veggies are also out in full force in the farmers
market.
Mondays
are great at the farmers market. The crowds are a bit thinner and
the farmers have the time and patience to share their knowledge.
There are also many vendors who only come on Mondays. It seems to be
a bit of an initiation for growers new to the market to be given a
spot only on this day. By
circumstance, several of my regular dining companions are out of
town this week, so I try to buy only what I and my sometimes-roommate
can use in a couple of days.
|
|
|
|
What I Bought:
|
Hen of the Woods Mushroom
The famous Mushroom Lady,
Judy Chen, grows an assortment of edible and medicinal
mushrooms in her warehouse in Queens. She noticed that I had a cold and recommended making
a tea out of the maitake specimen, also known as Hen of the
Woods. Her advice was to simply infuse the mushroom in hot
water—drain and use the now poached mushroom in a
salad. She eagerly demonstrated how to prepare the
fungus: It does not need to be washed. Simply break
away the yellow outside and tear into pieces, then sauté in
butter and parsley. When talking abut my sniffles, Judy
encouraged me to check out www.fungi.com
for a variety of information on healing "shrooms,"
including tips on how to grow your own.
Price: $5 for 1/4 pound
Brussel
Sprouts
There were Brussel sprouts, on sale still attached to their
stems, everywhere in the market today. With an Alice
in Wonderland delight, I grabbed a stalk and tricked a
recipe out of Nevia, from Yuno's Farm in Bordentown,
New Jersey. Her advice: braise the little things with
tart apples. What a delicious confluence of
seasonality! Indeed, "What grows together goes
together." I think this will be one of my new signature
dishes.
Price: $4/stalk
Cauliflower
This beautiful organic yellow cauliflower was grown by Norwich
Meadows Farm in
Norwich
,
New York. Zaid was quite vocal about her favorite Middle
Eastern dish using this veggie, which I cannot begin to
reproduce for you here. But basically, it involves frying
the cauliflower in olive oil and adding it, along with
boiled chicken, to rice with all sorts of spices. Then you
bake it and when it is finished, unmold it upside down and
it retains its shape. Serve with yogurt, and a salad of
cucumbers, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Sounds like I need to
have Zaid come over for dinner.
|
Cranberry Beans
I have a penchant for cranberry beans. I never seem to tire
of them. This time around, Nestor Tello told me she uses them in
her Asian preparations, sauteed with shrimp and pork. (Here is
another idea that shows off fresh shelled cranberry beans, an
Italian soup called Ribollita.)
Price: $2.50/lb.
Beets
There were mounds of beets in the market today. The ones I
bought are destined to end up on my table as a first
course, voluptuously layered with olive oil,
balsamic vinegar, sel gris (French sea salt), goat
cheese and crushed walnuts.
Price: $3/bunch
.
Radishes
With this bunch of glowing radishes, sporting their greens, I looked
forward to a snack of radishes, bread, butter
and a pinch of coarse sea salt.Price: $2/bunch
|
|
|
|
|
